


Ace of Hearts

by Goldenonyx



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-09-25 16:24:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9829244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldenonyx/pseuds/Goldenonyx
Summary: Kenma never cared about finding his soulmate, that's what he told himself. He didn't care if his word was black and white forever, that's what he tried to convince himself. Love, however, isn't that simple, and neither is Kenma.





	1. Chapter 1

Kenma never really cared about finding his soulmate, he didn’t see the point. Sure, he wouldn’t mind to see the world in color rather than these boring shades of gray, but that was really the only reason he ever thought about it. Things would be much easier for Kenma if he could see color without needing to experience the ‘soulmate phenomenon.’ In all honesty, Kenma would rather never see color than be stuck with some unknown stranger for the rest of his life. For a while, Kuroo had even agreed with him, however as soon as he bumped into Tsukishima, literally, that entire way of thinking left him. Kenma loved Kuroo, he really did, but hearing about the wonders of love and how much more beautiful the world was in color was really starting to get old.

“Kenma,” Kuroo said from across the table. Kenma realized he was staring blankly at his phone screen, not even pretending to listen to Kuroo.

“What?” Kenma asked him, opening Mystic Messenger.

“Your games would look so much nicer in color,” he muttered, taking a sip of his drink. Kenma ignored him, focusing on the game in front of him.

“Okay, I get it, you don’t care,” Kuroo gave up. “Just don’t come crying to me later on.” Kenma sighed and put his phone away, giving Kuroo his full attention. For a brief moment, the surprise was evident on Kuroo’s face, Kenma almost never put his game down.

“You didn’t call me out here just to brag about color did you?” he asked, leaning on the edge of the table.

“No actually, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrows training camp,” Kuroo stated, shoving a few fries in his mouth.

“What about it?” Kenma asked, suddenly bored. He was glad Kuroo had stopped talking about soulmates, but he didn’t really want to talk about volleyball either.

“I have a request,” Kuroo began. Kenma just continued staring at him, waiting for him to spit out whatever he was trying to say. “Will you help Bokuto and me out during free practice? Akaashi’s sick and we need a setter.”

“Why does it have to be me?” Kenma wondered aloud.

“Because you’re my best friend and one of the best setters I know!” Kuroo praised, smiling over the table.

“I don’t actually have a choice do I? Fine, but as soon as I get bored I’m done,” Kenma gave in. Kuroo’s smile somehow doubled in size at Kenma’s response. 

“Sweet! Thanks a bunch Kenma! I’m going to go call Bokuto, I’ll meet up with you tomorrow before training,” Kuroo called as he ran out the door. Kenma sighed as he stood up, taking Kuroo’s garbage over to the trashcan. It was only a little extra practice, what could possibly go wrong? Kenma shook his head as he headed home, of course something was going to go wrong, it always did. Kenma wasn’t exactly a pessimist, but he couldn’t deny that bad things stuck to him like a magnet. He had a bad feeling about the extra training; he just couldn’t help but feel like his entire life was about to change. 

“Out with Kuroo again?” his mother asked when he got home. She was a rather petite woman with shoulder length brown hair, similar to Kenma’s natural color. Kenma knew how happy it made her when he was out with Kuroo as opposed to playing games alone in his room; she would always wait to greet him whenever he got home, a big smile on her face.

“He wanted to talk about training camp,” Kenma replied, already reaching for his ds.

“That starts tomorrow, doesn’t it?” she questioned, turning away from the door and back towards the stove. 

“Yeah,” Kenma answered, sitting down at the counter.

“What did he want to talk about?” she wondered, stirring slowly.

“He and Bokuto wanted me to set for them during free practice, the usual setter is sick,” Kenma replied, not looking up from his game.

“Bokuto?” she asked, turning to look at him.

“Fukurodani’s captain and one of the top five high school aces in the country,” he admitted.

“Is he cute?” she asked, a sly smile on her face. Instead of responding, Kenma settled with a hard glare. “I’m your mother, I’m supposed to ask these questions!” she defended.

“I don’t know, I don’t really think about those things,” he mumbled, mashing the buttons on his ds.

“Can he see?” she asked hesitantly. Kenma rolled his eyes.

“He’s one of the best high school aces in the country mom, I’m sure his eyesight is just fine,” he retorted.

“Kenma,” he mother warned. Kenma paused his game and looked over at her.

“I don’t know, probably? He’s loud and touches every person he sees; I’d actually be amazed if he didn’t,” Kenma answered honestly.

“Has he touched you?” she asked, serving two helpings of curry.

“The only people who have ever come into contact with me have been you, Kuroo, and Shouyo, all of which have found their soulmates. Kuroo makes sure to tell everyone not to touch me since I don’t like it,” he stated, taking his food from his mother. 

"Nothing will ever change if you keep thinking like that," she scolded, sitting down next to him. "I know you're scared hun, I was too, but the soulmates have never been wrong."

"Are you saying that being a single parent was supposed to happen?" Kenma demanded, looking away from his food.

"Nobody could have predicted what happened. My point is that even though we were only together for a short time, we loved each other and nothing will ever change that," she replied fondly.

"I'm going to go pack for training camp," Kenma announced, pushing his half-eaten food away. HIs mother gave him a worried glance, but left him to his own devices.

Kenma had always believed that soulmates were a waste of time; why should fate decide who was the right person for him? He didn't care, that's what he always told people, but that wasn't exactly truthful. When it all came down to it, Kenma was scared. Just because you find your soulmate doesn't mean you'll live happily ever after. He’s witnessed firsthand how often soulmates fought; how little effort they actually put into their relationships. They think that because fate has paired them together it will also do all the work. The other side of soulmates is cases like his parents. Kenma's parents had only known each other for a year before the accident. Kenma had never met his father, his father didn't even know he was going to have a son. His mother had found out she was pregnant four days after his father had passed away.

Kenma didn't want to be bound to someone who wouldn't try. He didn't want to fall in love with someone only to have them taken away from him. He knew that there were good feelings associative with soulmates, but he would rather not experience them at all. Kenma would rather live his life in the dark as opposed to being left alone in color. Nobody knew Kenma had these thoughts; he was never one to share his innermost feelings. Kuroo had tired once or twice, but eventually he had given up. His mother had tried as well, but Kenma always changed the subject or pretended not to heat her.

Kenma plopped down on his bed and sighed. None of that mattered right now, all that mattered was the upcoming training camp. His volleyball gear was already packed neatly in his bag, making it easier for him to grab it and go in the morning. All that was left to do was sleep.

A sudden vibration pulled Kenma out of his dreamlike state. He moved his hand around his sheets until he found the source just below his pillow. The dimly lit screen on his phone showed that he was getting a call from Hinata Shouyo.

"Kenma!" Hinata screeched as soon as he accepted the call." I'm so excited for tomorrow I can't sleep! We're meeting at school at 5 in the morning which means that I have to wake up at 4 so that I can leave at 4:30, but would it be worth it to sleep in the first place? I'm not sure if I should try to sleep or just give up since I probably won't be able to sleep anyway," Hinata rambled. Kenma smiled softly, he enjoyed his conversations with Shouyo, all Kenma had to do was listen and mutter here and there.

"You should probably try to get a few hours," Kenma piped up, staring up at his ceiling. 

"I know I should try, but I really don't think I'll be able to; I'm too excited," Hinata admitted.

"Try and count your breaths; that helps me when I can't sleep," Kenma advised. 

"Count my breaths?" Hinata repeated.

"It gives you something simple to focus on until you fall asleep," Kenma responded.

"Okay, I'll give it a try. You should sleep soon too Kenma. Night," Hinata finished.

"I will. Goodnight Shouyo," Kenma said as he hung up the phone. It was still early evening, but Kenma really didn't have anything to do. For once, Kenma didn't even want to play any games, all he really wanted to do was survive training camp. He put his phone on his bed side table and laid down, following his own advice of counting his breathing. He was out before he got to 50.

“Kenma, you’re going to be late if you don’t get up soon,” his mother’s voice chimed from the doorway. Kenma groaned as he rolled over, shoving his face into his pillow. He heard his mother laugh as she padded away towards the kitchen. Just as he was about to fall back asleep, Kenma’s phone vibrated violently next to him. Kenma grumbled as he sat up, snatching up his phone.

>Kuroo  
Meet u @ norm spot in 30

>Kenma  
Are the spelling errors really necessary?

>Kuroo  
Yes…Get up, I no ur still in bed

>Kuroo  
30 min dont b L8

>Kenma  
I’ll be there

Kenma tossed his phone into the mess of sheets he was currently cocooned in. With a dejected sigh, he left the comfort of his bed and waded over to the closet. He mindlessly threw on some practice clothes, grabbed his phone and bag, and headed to the kitchen. 

“Good morning sunshine,” his mother smiled as he sat down. He gave a tired grunt and dug into the food sitting in front of him. Kenma was by no means a morning person; he would actually growl if spoken to before 10 am. He’d even bitten Kuroo before, so by now most people knew to avoid him in the mornings. His mother would always talk to him in the morning, but luckily for Kenma (and everyone else), she never expected a response. 

Once he had finished eating, he was off. He bid farewell to his mother as he slid his shoes on, attempting to mentally prepare himself for the Hell known as training camp. This time it was to be held at Nekoma, so the entire Nekoma team was required to show up early to help set up. Kenma yawned as he began his morning journey to the school. The total walk was about nine blocks; two he would walk alone and seven with Kuroo. It was quicker to take the subway, but Kenma wasn’t a fan of being squished by that many people, so instead he walked, grateful that Kuroo walked with him.

“Kenma!” Kuroo yelled from up the street. Kenma looked up, surprised to see not just Kuroo, but Bokuto as well. 

“Kenma! It’s been awhile!” Bokuto smiled widely. 

“Yeah,” Kenma muttered awkwardly. He felt Bokuto’s strong gaze on him as he stared down at his shoes. 

“Wow Kenma, I’m amazed, he’s speechless,” Kuroo teased, elbowing Bokuto in the side.

“Ah, sorry, I’m just not sure what to do,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “This is the part where I go for a hug, but...”

“Thank you for not doing that,” Kenma responded, still looking down. 

“Why don’t you like physical contact?” Bokuto asked him. Kenma glanced up, catching Kuroo giving Bokuto a hard glare.

“I don’t really care about all that soulmate stuff, that’s all,” Kenma answered.

“That’s kinda selfish though, isn’t it?” Bokuto replied honestly. Kenma froze; he had never thought that what he was doing was selfish, was it?

“Guys,” Kuroo began, unease in his voice, “we’ll be late if we don’t hurry.”

“Training camp!” Bokuto cheered, skipping ahead of the other two. It was truly amazing how quickly Bokuto’s attitude could change; he could go from serious to cheerful in two seconds. Kenma stood still, watching the two volleyball dorks skip up the street before shaking his head and following. 

Kenma tried to focus on setting up, but his mind kept replaying Bokuto’s words. Was he being selfish? He had always been too focused on himself, never stopping to think about his soulmate? One of the main things Kenma had always worried about when it came to relationships was that they wouldn’t be taken seriously; he never thought that the problem would lie with him.

“Kenma,” Kuroo called from the gym doorway. Kenma set up the last folding chair before joining his tall friend, wondering what was going on.

“Karasuno’s here,” he informed him as Kenma reached the doorway. The other schools had already arrived, meaning everybody was outside enjoying the day when the Karasuno bus pulled in.

“Kenma!” Hinata squealed as he bounced off the bus, running and practically tackling Kenma to the ground. Kenma couldn’t help but notice the odd why Bokuto watched their interaction. 

“Hello Shouyo,” Kenma greeted, standing awkwardly with Hinata’s arms around him. “Did you sleep last night?”

“I did! Your trick really helped, thanks!” Hinata grinned.

“Well,” Kuroo clapped, gathering everyone’s attention. “Now that we’re all here, let’s eat.” The volleyball players cheered, rushing over to the cafeteria. Hinata hooked his arm around Kenma’s and bounded towards the building, dragging Kenma behind him. When he looked up, Kenma somehow made eye contact with Bokuto. There was confusion in his eyes, along with something else he couldn’t quite figure out.

“…and Natsu latched onto his leg and refused to let go!” Hinata roared, shoveling food into his mouth.

“Shut up,” Kageyama grumbled from across the table.

“Don’t be embarrassed Tobio, it was really cute!” Hinata teased. Kageyama stiffened and looked down, muttering something under his breath. Kenma sat silently, watching his friends bicker back and forth. Hinata and Kageyama fought a lot, but it was never about anything serious. Their relationship was by no means perfect, but Kenma admired it nonetheless. No matter what happened they were there for each other, they pushed each other and always put all of their effort into everything they did. That was the kind of relationship Kenma wanted, not perfect, but loving. It was clear just from watching that Hinata and Kageyama loved each other, even if they didn’t rub it in like Kuroo and Tsukishima did. Okay, that was mainly Kuroo, but Tsukishima was still involved. 

“Can I get everyone’s attention please?” Kuroo’s voice rang through the crowded cafeteria. Once the noise had died down, he continued. “We’re going to start with Karasuno and Shinzen on court 1 and Fukurodani and Ubugawa on court 2. Nekoma, for this first set we are going to clean up in here. Oh, and losers get to do a lap of dive receives,” he finished.

“C’mon Tobio, let’s go! We’ll see you later Kenma!” Hinata promised, dragging Kageyama behind him. Kenma smiled softly to himself as he stood up, walking over to meet his teammates in the kitchen. 

“Kenma,” Kuroo shouted from behind him. Kenma turned around, almost running into the taller boy. “I think we’ve got it here, why don’t you go watch the other teams, figure out their weaknesses,” he smiled slyly. Kenma shook his head turned to leave, almost running into yet another taller boy.

“You heading to the gym?” Bokuto asked, smiling happily. Kenma nodded in response, continuing out the door.

“I have a question,” Bokuto claimed as he caught up. “If you hate contact so much, why do you let shimpy hang all over you?” 

“He already has his soulmate,” Kenma answered matter-of-factly, staring straight ahead.

“So it’s not the contact you hate, but the soulmate part,” Bokuto clarified. Kenma nodded, entering the gym. He didn’t look back at the ace, instead walking over to the side of the gym where he could watch without the fear of a stray ball.

Overall, each team had grown significantly since the last training camp. At the end of the first day, Fukurodani had the most wins, followed by Shinzen, Nekoma, Karasuno, and finally Ubugawa. Although all of the players had worked hard, dinner was rather rowdy. The entire room was filled with laughter and various chatter; the noise a bit much for Kenma.

“Go,” Kuroo said, noticing Kenma’s growing discomfort. “I’ll practice one-on-one with Kei today, so go.” Kenma nodded and slipped out of the room, seemingly unnoticed. He walked slowly to the building the teams were staying in, enjoying the gentle evening breeze. When he reached the dull gray building, he heaved open the door and took a sharp right down a dark, secluded hallway. Kenma leaned up against the wall and slid down, sighing. He buried his head in his knees, finally allowing his mind to wander. Ever since this morning, Kenma couldn’t stop thinking about Bokuto’s words. Before he could dwell too much, he sensed someone next to him.

“Do you really think I’m being selfish?” Kenma asked, his voice muffled by his legs.

“Well,” Bokuto answered, shifting slightly. “It really depends on why you’re avoiding it.”

“I’m…scared, I guess,” Kenma admitted shyly. He had never told anyone his true feelings behind his contact avoidance. He wasn’t sure why, but for some reason he wanted to tell Bokuto; he wanted to open up.

“So am I. I mean, what if I’m not good enough? What if we don’t get along? What if I don’t deserve them? I think about this stuff all the time actually,” Bokuto shared. Kenma looked over at him, his eyes curious.

“You haven’t found your soulmate yet?” he asked, dumbfounded.

“Surprising, I know,” he chuckled, a small smile on his face. “No, I haven’t. I’d like to, but that’s not exactly up to me.”

“Are you ever worried they won’t try?” Kenma asked, looking into his eyes, owl orbs meeting cat eyes. “I’ve seen too many relationships fail because they don’t put in any effort. I just want to know that I won’t be trying for nothing.”

“Hey, I get it. I’ve witnessed my fair share of broken relationships too. I think about these questions all the time, but I just keep reminding myself that I won’t know until it happens,” Bokuto replied.

“I guess you’re right,” Kenma mumbled sleepily, letting his eyes flutter closed. He could here Bokuto’s voice, but before long Kenma was already fast asleep. 

“Wake up sleepyhead,” Kuroo’s voice sang, waking Kenma up. He opened his eyes slightly before jamming them closed again.

“It’s too bright,” he complained, throwing his arms over his face.

“You’ll miss breakfast if you don’t get up now,” Kuroo warned, pulling Kenma’s arms away. Kenma opened his eyes and glared at Kuroo, who had a giant grin on his face.

“Were you just with Tsukishima?” Kenma asked, analyzing Kuroo’s face.

“Yeah, why?” Kuroo wondered.

“You’re grinning like an idiot and your entire face is bright red,” Kenma stated as though it were obvious.

“Yeah well.., wait what?” Kuroo’s facial expression shifted drastically, from embarrassment to shock.

“What?” Kenma asked, not sure what Kuroo was referring to.

“My face is red?” Kuroo repeated slowly, dark yellow eyes locked on Kenma.

“Yeah…can you really not tell?” he asked, looking at Kuroo like he was stupid.

“Kenma,” he began, “What does red look like?” Kenma paused, what kind of question was that? It was bright, yet dark at the same time… Kenma froze, realization covering his face.

“How?” he asked, panic welling up inside of him. 

“Who did you come in contact with yesterday?” Kuroo asked quickly.

“I don’t know!” he panicked, “the last thing I remember was…”he paused, remembering the events of the previous night. “Kuroo, how did I get in here?”

“You were already asleep when we got here, why?” Kuroo questioned. Realization hit Kenma like a punch to the face. 

“Could you leave me alone for a bit, please?” Kenma begged softly. Kuroo stayed still for a moment before nodding, leaving the room. Kenma sighed and pushed his back against the wall, his head on his knees. He wasn’t ready for this; everything was happening too fast. He was just coming to terms with the fact that maybe he was being unfair, he wasn’t actually ready to find his soulmate. 

“Is it really that bad?” he heard from in front of him. Slowly, he lifted his head, coming face to face with large, bright golden eyes. For a moment he was frozen, his words stuck in his throat; those beautiful eyes drawing him in. 

“I don’t know,” he breathed, lost in Bokuto’s eyes.

“If it’s about what you said yesterday, I’m not going to run away; I’m going to do everything I can to make this work,” Bokuto replied honestly.

“I’m scared of falling in love,” he admitted, looking down at Bokuto’s feet. “What I said before was only part of my fear.”

“What’s the other part?” Bokuto asked, moving to sit down next to Kenma. Initially, he sat a decent way away, but after a moment of hesitation, he scooted closer, his side brushing against Kenma.

“What if something bad were to happen? What if you were to get sick or an accident were to happen? I don’t want to fall in love only to lose you,” he said, glancing over at Bokuto. Kenma gasped, taken aback; Bokuto’s eyes showed nothing but kindness. A warm feeling flowed through him; was it too late? Was he already too far gone? He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes. 

“I never met my father,” he began, locking eyes with Bokuto. Shock flashed in his eyes, but he allowed Kenma to continue. “He was coming home late one night and as he was crossing the street, a car ran a red light. It all happened so fast, he didn’t have time to get out of the way. The ambulance got there within three minutes, but he was already gone. My mom didn’t know she was pregnant until four days later, so he never even knew he was going to be a father.”

“Kenma, I am so sorry,” Bokuto whispered with wide eyes. Kenma smiled sadly, resting his head against Bokuto’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, I never knew him so there’s no really emotional connection. I just can’t help but think about my mom. They had only known each other for a year. She’s done a great job raising me, she’s been a great mom, but I feel like she could have been so much happier with him,” Kenma finished. 

“Nobody can predict those kinds of things,” Bokuto started, leaning his head against Kenma’s. “I can’t promise that something won’t happen, but I can promise that I will stay by your side as long as I can.”

“I don’t want to be left behind,” Kenma replied, burring his face into Bokuto.

“I’ll do everything I can to make sure you never are,” he declared, wrapping his arms around Kenma, pulling him into his chest. “Will you let me?”

“Yes.”

 

BONUS:

Kuroo- “Guys, this is grossly adorable, but our coaches are going to get mad if you don’t come to practice…”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training camp continues

He understood it now, the hype. Color really was a wonderful thing. Kenma couldn’t help but keep blinking, there was so much light and color, everything was so bright. There was just so much to take in, so much to see. He wasn’t sure how much he would actually be able to pay attention to volleyball today, he was far too overwhelmed. His deep red and black Nekoma practice jersey hung loosely on his small frame, but he still appreciated it. After staring for a bit too long, Kenma shook his head and wandered outside, food on his mind.

 

Stepping outside was one of the best decisions Kenma had ever made. The sun shone brightly, reflecting off of the beautiful colors of nature. The grass was a deep green, the flowers various shades of reds and yellows. The light flowing between the light green leaves left Kenma breathless. He felt so much, finally experiencing all of this. If Kuroo had not come outside to collect him, there was a good chance Kenma would have been there all day.

 

“Kenma, you have to come eat,” Kuroo called, jogging over to him.

 

“Look at it,” Kenma mumbled, still in awe.

 

“I know Kenma, I’ve been able to see for a few months now, and it still manages to take my breath away,” Kuroo admitted. “Now let’s go,” he instructed, pulling Kenma into the cafeteria. 

 

“Kenma, over here! We already got you food!” Hinata called from across the room. Kenma froze, taking in the sight. Everyone was right, Hinata really was an energetic ball of sunshine. His bright orange hair stood out, and Kenma thought it was rather fitting.

 

“Kenma, what’s wrong?” Hinata asked as Kuroo pushed Kenma towards the table.

 

“Nothing, I just never realized how bright your hair was,” Kenma muttered, taking control of himself.

 

“You just realized that?” Kageyama asked, disbelief in his voice. 

 

“Missing the point there King,” Tsukishima scoffed. Kageyama responded by giving the tall middle blocker a confused stare.

 

“You can see,” Hinata blinked, realization appearing on his face.

 

“Oh,” Kageyama replied, suddenly understanding.

 

“Yeah,” Kenma answered, admiring the deep blue of Kageyama’s eyes. They were pretty, but they weren’t Bokuto’s golden eyes.

 

“Who?” Hinata asked. “How long?”

 

“A few hours,” Kenma shrugged, purposefully ignoring the first question.

 

“So it’s someone here,” Kageyama concluded.

 

“Who though?” Hinata asked, leaning across the table towards Kenma. He wasn’t sure why, but Kenma didn’t really want to tell anyone yet.

 

“He’s overwhelmed enough right now, stop with the interrogation,” Tsukishima defended. Kenma had never really talked to the other boy, but since they both had to deal with Kuroo, they had a mutual understanding for each other. Kenma nodded a thank you and finished eating his food, glancing around and taking everything in.

 

“Hey Kenma, you gonna be able to play today?” Kuroo asked after finishing his meal.

 

“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. He could probably play, but he felt like he would get distracted easily.

 

“I’m sure coach would let you off for a day,” he responded, standing up and grabbing his tray, Kenma following suit. He didn’t reply to Kuroo’s suggestion, instead he just silently followed him into the gym. After a brief discussion between Kuroo and Coach Nekomata, it was decided that Kenma would take the day to observe rather than play. As he watched the teams warm up, he noticed a single star player nowhere to be seen. 

 

“He’s wandering around outside,” Akaashi explained, seeing Kenma searching the gym. Kenma silently nodded and left the gym, going in search of his soulmate. He found him in the garden, sitting in the lush grass surrounded by pastel flowers. He looked so at peace, watching the petals flutter softly in the breeze.

 

“I always thought I had a good understanding of the world, but now everything’s changed, I’m not so sure,” he muttered, sensing Kenma’s gaze.

 

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” he asked, moving to sit on the grass next to him.

 

“It’s a good thing. A really good thing,” Bokuto smiled, looking over at Kenma. Kenma figured it was a soulmate thing, but he could look at Bokuto forever and never get bored.

 

“You’re not playing today?” Kenma asked after a moment of silence.

 

“No way I’ll be able to focus, there’s too much going on right now,” he answered.

 

“Yeah,” Kenma agreed; he understood. They sat together in silence, enjoying the chirping of the birds and the slight breeze; the warm sunlight, and each other’s company. It was nice, comfortable, and Kenma found himself thinking that it was something he could get used to. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Kenma shut down.

 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, pulling his knees against his chest.

 

“Sorry for what?” Bokuto asked, tilting his head in confusion.

 

“Sorry it’s me. Sorry I’m the one you’re stuck with,” he elaborated, avoiding his gaze. Suddenly, his personal space was gone, and Bokuto was holding his hands; their faces inches apart.

 

“I have no control over how you see yourself, but you don’t get to decide how others see you. I know you’re skeptical of fate and soulmates, but whatever force is in charge obviously thinks we have a bond. Whether it’s fate or not, the last say goes to us, and I say that no, you are not a burden. I don’t consider you a problem, I consider you a blessing. Kenma, the world is already so much brighter and all you’ve done is fallen asleep on me. Good things are going to come from this, I know that.”

 

Kenma wasn’t sure if it was Bokuto’s words or his breath on his face, but his mind went blank. There was a lot he wanted to say, needed to say, but as soon as Bokuto closed his mouth, Kenma had nothing. What he did have, however, was his instincts. Before he was able to process what was happening, the already limited space between the two was closing, and Kenma’s eyes were as well. The touch was light and didn’t last very long, but Kenma hoped Bokuto felt all the emotion he put into it. If Kenma couldn’t reply with words, he would have to express himself with actions instead.

 

His lips tingled as he pulled back, and as he opened his eyes, he saw his message was received loud and clear. The look on Bokuto’s face, the gleam in his eyes, the absolute love in his expression. It was everything Kenma had hoped for and more.

 

“Kenma,” Bokuto whispered, his forehead resting against the other boy’s. “Call me Koutaro.” 

 

This small request hit Kenma hard. The only person Kenma ever referred to by name was Shouyo; he didn’t even call Kuroo by his first name and they had known each other for years. He wasn’t exactly close to Bokuto, so calling his Koutaro should make him uncomfortable. Maybe it was because they were bound by fate, but the thought didn’t make him uncomfortable at all, if anything, it made him happy.

 

“Koutaro,” he muttered softly. Bokuto closed his eyes and hummed happily in response. Kenma smiled and pulled back, causing Bokuto’s eyes to shoot open and stare at him. Standing up, Kenma grabbed his hand and pulled him up, leading him to the gym.

 

“Whatcha doin?” Bokuto chuckled, following Kenma obediently. 

 

“I’m gonna set to you,” Kenma answered simply. The only reply he received was a muffled squack, which he understood. Getting Kenma to set for someone was hard enough, but getting him to volunteer was unheard of. Hands still clasped together, they entered the gym, and everything went quiet. 

 

The bounce of forgotten volleyballs echoed in the otherwise silent gym. Kenma had hoped everyone would be too busy to notice them, he should have realized that wouldn’t be the case. The idea of Kenma re-entering the gym after being excused was odd enough, but add in the factor that he was holding hands with Bokuto, and it was no wonder everything stopped. Kenma, who was originally leading Bokuto, felt himself sink back towards him under everyones’ gazes. That movement, Kenma putting himself closer to Bokuto, caused realization to hit everyone. 

 

“Oh!” Hinata exclaimed, breaking the silence. Kenma’s face went red and he turned his attention to his feet, earning a chuckle from Bokuto.

 

“Yeah,” Bokuto responded for the both of them.

 

“My two best friends, together at last,” Kuroo fake sobbed, wiping his invisible tears from his face. Kenma kept his attention at his feet, but smiled slightly at Kuroo’s comment.

 

“It’s been fun, but we have stuff to do,” Bokuto decided, taking charge and leading Kenma towards the supply closet. They ignored the whoops and hollers and grabbed a few volleyballs before turning and leaving the gym. 

 

Just before closing the door, Kenma locked eyes with Kuroo. The two had known each other for years, so with that one eye lock, they were able to communicate so much. Kuroo was happy for him, happy that he was accepting not just the idea of soulmates, but Bokuto as well. Kenma was just as glad.

 

They had only known they were soulmates for less than 24 hours, yet Kenma was sure, as he looked over at Bokuto.

 

He was in love. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally supposed to be a one chapter story, but I've received enough feedback to make it a two parter! I'm sorry for the long wait, but I hope it was worth it!  
> Onyx

**Author's Note:**

> My babies :') I had a lot of fun writing this story tbh. The pairing choice was because my friend accidentally said Bokuto instead of Kuroo, so I decided to roll with it. Depending on how much feedback this gets, I am willing to write more, so please let me know if you want more! This was kind of a build up to the relationship, but I can get another chapter or two about the relationship.  
> Onyx


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